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After a little distance she sensed the rhythm of the step； and realized that she knew who her pursuer was。 It was Zarles Kreiger； the assassin turned Scythe…Meister。
She stopped； and turned。
The Scythe…Meister was standing a little distance from her。 His flesh had the same sickly luminescence that hers did； a bacterial brightness that was part of Agonistes' handiwork。 The rawer the wounds （and there were parts of both their transformed bodies that were designed to never heal） the brighter the luminescence with which they burned。
〃I thought you'd left the city；〃 she said to him。
〃I did。 For a while。 I went out into the desert。 Meditated on my changed state。〃
〃And did you learn anything from your meditations？〃
Kreiger shook his head。
〃So you came back？〃
〃So I came back。〃
III
A few days after the three Generals had exchanged their fears about the presence of unsacred powers in Primordium； Montefalco brought them together again for a midnight journey。
〃Where are we going？〃
〃There's a man called Doctor TALISAC who has been conducting experiments on my behalf for several years now。〃
〃What kind of experiments？〃 Urbano wanted to know。
〃I hoped he would perfect me a soldier。 Make a fighting machine that was not susceptible to fear。〃
〃Has he succeeded？〃
〃No。 Not so far。 Nor do I have great hope for him now。 He's addicted to many of his own medications； and。。。well； you'll see for yourself。 But there was one failure of his which might be useful to us now。〃
〃A useful failure？〃 Bogoto said； somewhat amused by the paradox。
〃We need a creature that will drive the unholy elements out of Primordium。 I believe he has such a creature。〃
〃Ah。。。〃 said Urbano。
〃So will you see this creature with me？〃
〃Where is he？〃
〃I have him hidden away in what used to be the Hospice of the Sacred Heart； on Dreyfus Hill。〃
〃I thought the place was empty。〃
〃That's the impression I intended to give the world。 If anybody ventures in there I have them killed and thrown in the canal。〃
〃Is that what happened to the nuns？〃
Montefalco smiled。 〃Nothing so humane； I'm afraid；〃 he said。 〃Soldiers can be brutish if left to their own devices。〃
The subject was left there； and the three headed up towards Dreyfus Hill。
IV
Zarles Kreiger stretched out naked on Lucidique's bed。 She looked at him admiringly： at the plethora of scars； at the intricate way the machinations of his flesh had been bound to Agonistes' own creations。 Silver bonded with bone and nerve； gold and bronze the same。
She climbed on top of him。 Arcs of electricity leapt between them： nipple to nipple； eye to eye。
What a time this was！； she thought。 Here she was mating with the man who had taken her father's life。 In a sense there was something even more taboo about their intimacy。 They were both the offspring of the same father。 Both Agonistes' children。
〃I wonder if he'd approve？〃 Lucidique said。
〃You mean Agonistes？〃
〃Yes。〃
Kreiger didn't speak。 It was Lucidique who realized what her lover's reference to Agonistes implied。
〃You saw him in the desert？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And he sent you back here？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃To find me？〃
〃To be with you。 He said you were the only thing that would make me happy。〃
V
The Hospice of the Sacred Heart was an enormous edifice； its upper floors in darkness。 But the Generals didn't have to wait long for a guide。 After a few minutes a female dwarf…who introduced herself as Camille…came with candles。 She escorted the uniformed trio through the echoing cloisters （which were heaped with huge mounds of dirt） and down two flights of steep stairs into Doctor Talisac's laboratory。
His workspace had been dug out of the earth so as to acmodate the scale of the Doctor's experimentation and still preserve the secrecy of his location。 In place of tile there was hard trodden earth beneath the Generals' boots； and the walls were beaten dirt。 The place stank of cold earth： which served to plete the scene。 For if the stench was that of the grave； so were many of the sights before them。 The dead were Talisac's raw materials； and they lay everywhere around； in various states of amputation。 He was an uneconomic consumer。 In many cases the corpses were lacking only a limb； or a portion of a limb； an eye； in one case； lips in another。
〃So where is he？〃 Urbano demanded to know。
Camille pointed the way over a carpet of corpses to a dank corner of the immense chamber； where Talisac awaited them。
He looked； to the Generals' astonished eyes； like one of his own victims； a terrible； implausible experiment in the extremes to which a human carcass might be put。
He hung by his mouth from a device whose purpose was beyond the Generals' prehension； his mouth hooked up； as though he were a fish。 In his perversity； or his genius； or both； he had created some kind of external womb for himself。 A semi…translucent bag hung from the lower portion of his abdomen； down between his spidery legs。 There was life inside。
〃A Mongroid；〃 Camille whispered。
Montefalco took his eyes off the foul sight of the womb and its twitching contents； and addressed its owner。
〃Talisac？〃 he said。 〃We need something from you。〃
Talisac turned his fluttering eyes in Montefalco's direction。 When he spoke the maimed form of his mouth meant that what he said was virtually inprehensible。 It took Camille to translate it。
〃He says： What？ What do you need？〃
〃We need a fiend to put fear into the heart of the Devil himself。〃 Montefalco said。 〃A beast amongst beasts。 Something to scour the city of its monsters by being still more monstrous。〃
Talisac made a strange sound…which might have been laughter； shaking as he hung from his hooks。 The creature in his womb responded to its parent's movement by spasming。
〃How the hell did he e by that thing？〃 Bogoto murmured to Urbano behind his hand。
〃Don't whisper；〃 Camille snapped。 〃He hates it。〃
〃He was wondering how Talisac got himself pregnant？〃 Urbano said。
This time Talisac pressed his lips into service； in order that he answer for himself。 The reply was a single word：
〃Science。〃 he said。
〃Really？〃 Urbano said； sufficiently reassured to step over some of the mutilated bodies to examine Talisac more closely。 〃Well I'm pleased to hear that。 I would have been distressed if there's been some sexual impropriety here。〃
Again； Talisac laughed； though none of the Generals were in the mood to see the humour of the situation。 His laughter spent； he spoke again。 This time Camille's services as a translator were required。
〃He has a golem he thinks would suit your purposes very well；〃 the dwarf said。 〃He only asks one thing in return。。。〃
〃And what's that？〃 Montefalco said。
〃That you shouldn't attempt to hurt any of his children。〃
〃Meaning that？〃 Montefalco said； nodding towards the twitching womb。
〃Es。〃 said Talisac。 〃Is my ur chile。〃
〃What did he say？〃 Urbano said to Camille。
〃He said it was his child；〃 Camille replied。
Montefalco shrugged。
〃No harm will e of this Mongroid； if we a